Abstract: An apparatus for protecting signals, including a first electronic computing device, and a second electronic computing device, wherein the second electronic computing device has a checking device, wherein the first and second electronic computing devices are designed to receive one or more different signals from one another and/or to emit them to one another, wherein the checking device is designed to check signals received from the second electronic computing device for formal correctness and/or to check the plausibility of said signals and to transmit the signals to the first electronic computing device and/or to a bus for transmitting data on the basis of the plausibility check and/or the check for formal correctness, wherein the second electronic computing device is configured according to a higher safety integrity level than the first electronic computing device. A corresponding method and to the use of the apparatus in a vehicle is also disclosed.

Abstract: An air spring assembly for a vehicle having a damper body which is decoupled from the bellow of a piston, allowing the damper to rotate freely without inducing torsion into the piston. The design includes a two-piece piston having both an inner piston and an outer piston which are connected together, and a portion of the inner piston is positioned over the damper tube. The piston having the two-piece design allows for the two-piece piston to fully decouple from the damper without leakage. The inner piston retains a rotary O-ring which seals to a damper rod to keep air within the air spring assembly. The air spring assembly also includes a thrust bearing located between the inner piston and the top surface of the damper tube. The thrust bearing allows full decoupling from the inner piston and the damper, ensuring that there is no torsion translated to the bellow.

Abstract: A method and system of diagnosing the integrity of a sealed air tube of a pedestrian protection system of a vehicle is provided. The method provides the sealed air tube having a pressure sensor connected at each end of the air tube. The air tube is constructed and arranged to be located in front fascia of a vehicle. A processor circuit is electrically connected with the pressure sensors and the processor circuit has a Fast Fourier Transform element. Natural frequencies of a frequency spectrum of the air tube are obtained when no leak is known to be present in in the air tube. Signals from the pressure sensors are transformed into the frequency domain with the Fast Fourier Transform element. A leak is determined to be present in the air tube if frequencies other than the natural frequencies exist in the frequency spectrum of the air tube.

Abstract: “Roll-off” is considered to be any unwanted vehicle movement after a parking brake is engaged. Roll-off is prevented or reduced by a method and apparatus that adjusts hydraulic brake pressure applied to vehicle wheel brakes if unintended motion is detected when the parking brake is engaged and the vehicle's transmission is not in the park position.

Abstract: A system for warning vulnerable road users (i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, other, etc) that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching and there may be a potential danger of a collision. The system may also provides an alert to an oncoming vehicle or cyclist of the location of a vulnerable road user within a cross-walk. The system includes intelligent intersections which are enabled with dedicated short range communication (“DSRC”) for detecting vehicles and vulnerable road users. This information may be received by DSRC enabled vehicles and allow the vehicles to warn the drivers of various situations which may be potentially dangerous. A plurality of lights is embedded along the edges of a crosswalk which provides an alert or signal to a vulnerable road user that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching. Sections lights may be illuminated to provide an indication of the location of the vulnerable road user within the cross-walk.

Abstract: An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.

Abstract: A side head-up display system is provided. The side head-up display system has an image generator configured to emit a generated image to create a virtual image for viewing by a vehicle occupant. In some forms, a side display surface is disposed along a vehicle side of the motor vehicle, and the virtual image is viewable through the side display surface. In some versions, a controller is provided and configured to cause the generated image to be generated intermittently while the first motor vehicle is running so that the image generator is off at least part of the time while the motor vehicle is running. The controller may be configured to cause the image generator to create the generated image to show information about another vehicle outside of the motor vehicle, such as speed information and/or distance and location information.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system, method and software program for managing parking spaces in a geographical area. The system, method and software program includes monitoring the geographical area; identifying one or more available parking spaces in the geographical area based at least partly upon the monitoring; informing, over the air interface, one or more vehicle operators about a first available parking space of the one or more available parking spaces identified; and completing a parking reservation for the first available parking space with a first vehicle operator of the one or more vehicle operators.

Abstract: A failure detection and correction function which is able to detect a failure of an automatic braking system, and provide a corrected action. The failure detection and correction function is independent of the automatic braking function. The failure detection and correction function uses object coordinates and the speed of the vehicle to determine the collision risk, and then calculates a desired deceleration if there is imminent collision. The function uses desired deceleration to compare to a deceleration request from automatic braking function to determine if there is a failure. The failure detection and correction function takes corrected action to avoid the collision if the automatic braking function has failed.

Abstract: A system for warning vulnerable road users (i.e., pedestrians, cyclists, other, etc) that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching and there may be a potential danger of a collision. The system may also provides an alert to an oncoming vehicle or cyclist of the location of a vulnerable road user within a cross-walk. The system includes intelligent intersections which are enabled with dedicated short range communication (“DSRC”) for detecting vehicles and vulnerable road users. This information may be received by DSRC enabled vehicles and allow the vehicles to warn the drivers of various situations which may be potentially dangerous. A plurality of lights is embedded along the edges of a crosswalk which provides an alert or signal to a vulnerable road user that a vehicle or cyclist is approaching. Sections lights may be illuminated to provide an indication of the location of the vulnerable road user within the cross-walk.

Abstract: Uniform illumination is provided to a ring-shaped or round instrument panel guage by a light-conducting ring made the exterior surface of which is roughened. The ring is formed to have a light inlet tab that receives illuminating light from a bulb or LED. The ring can have any odd or even-number of light inlet tabs.

Abstract: New measurement inputs for Kalman Filter or similar estimation approaches (at each sample) may include: DSRC messages from roadside transmitters (RSTs), such as: how long it takes for a DSRC signal from one or more fixed RSTs to reach the vehicle and comparison of that information with vehicle position estimates from a signal propagation model, which is based on how long it takes a DSRC signal to reach the vehicle GPS location from a fixed known RST location. From such measurements, it can be determined how much longer (or shorter) it takes to receive the RST message compared to the previous sample, which, in turn, gives an idea how far the vehicle has moved over a sample relative to a fixed RST location.

Abstract: The color generated by two differently-colored LEDs is maintained over time and different temperatures by sensing their combined output color using two phototransistors having different spectral sensitivities the output voltages of which are correlated to a desired output color. As the combined output color changes, the phototransistors' output voltages will change. The currents provided to the LEDs can thereafter be adjusted to maintain the output voltages and thus maintain the combined output color.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (Lidar) system includes a light emitter that emits light into a field of illumination and a photodetector that has a field of view that overlaps the field of illumination. The system detects the emitted light that is reflected by an object in the fields of view. The system independently adjusts the vertical and/or horizontal aim of the field of illumination and the vertical field of view to align the field of illumination and the field of view.

Abstract: New measurement inputs for Kalman Filter or similar estimation approaches (at each sample) may include: DSRC messages from roadside transmitters (RSTs), such as: how long it takes for a DSRC signal from one or more fixed RSTs to reach the vehicle and comparison of that information with vehicle position estimates from a signal propagation model, which is based on how long it takes a DSRC signal to reach the vehicle GPS location from a fixed known RST location. From such measurements, it can be determined how much longer (or shorter) it takes to receive the RST message compared to the previous sample, which, in turn, gives an idea how far the vehicle has moved over a sample relative to a fixed RST location.

Abstract: A pointer assembly for a vehicle instrument panel includes a pointer arm, a cap, and a shroud. The pointer arm includes a platform portion disposed about an axis or rotation and an arm portion extending outward from the platform portion. The platform portion includes an illuminable perimeter. The cap is secured to the platform portion of the pointer arm inside of the illuminable perimeter. The shroud is secured to the platform portion of the pointer arm outside of the illuminable perimeter, and the illuminable perimeter is visible between an outer perimeter of the cap and an inner perimeter of the shroud.

Abstract: A method of assisting a driver of a first vehicle to find an empty parking space, the method including: receiving at the first vehicle V2V communications from at least one other vehicle within a parking area of interest for the first vehicle; analyzing the received V2V communications from the at least one other vehicle to determine potential available parking spaces in the parking area of interest; displaying on a display in the first vehicle one or more available parking spaces in the parking area of interest. The V2V communications comprise dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) technology that includes broadcasting a basic safety message (BSM) up to ten times per second, each BSM indicating a vehicle location, a vehicle heading, and a vehicle speed of the vehicle transmitting the BSM.

Abstract: A method for generating a heat map of a surface area includes receiving, at a hardware processor, sensor data from one or more sensors in communication with the hardware processor and positioned such that the surface area is within a field of view of the one or more sensors. Determining, at the hardware processor, the speed and location for each of the traffic participants. Generating, at the hardware processor, a 2D map based on the traffic participants. The method also includes generating, at the hardware processor, a 3D map based on the traffic participants.

Abstract: A vehicle sensor system includes multiple LADAR sensors. Each of the LADAR sensors is configured to detect range within a corresponding field of view and to communicate the detected range to a vehicle systems controller. Each of the LADAR sensors includes a detector array electrically connected to a readout integrated circuit via multiple of metallic bumps. A glass screen is disposed outward of the detector array. A ceramic substrate includes a first indention and a conductive solderable surface mount layer, and one of the readout integrated circuit and the detector array is received in the first indention such that an electrical connection between the detector array and the readout integrated circuit is at least approximately level with the conductive solderable surface mount layer.

Abstract: An infrastructure-based warning system, includes: a first detection device; a detection area, the first detection device operable for detecting at least one of the location, speed, and direction of each of a plurality of objects in the detection area and to determine when a traffic incident has occurred within the detection area; a communication device operable to send at least one communication signal based upon the determined traffic incident by the first detection device.